Oven door



Aug. 17, 1948. H. R. JOHNSON OVEN DOOR Filed Dec. 5, 1945 Fig.2.

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Inventorfi H y \D His Attorney.

' certain elements Patented Aug. 11, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OVEN DOOR Barry B. Johnson, Fort Atkinson, Win, auignor to Hotpoint Ina, a corporation of New York Application December 5,1945, Serial No.

(I'll-II (CL 126-194) This invention relates to'door structures. more particularly to door structures for ovens and the like, and it has for its object the provision of improved structure 'of this character.

This invention is applicable particularly to oven and the like door structures of the drop" type wherein the door is provided with hinge means at the bottom so that it may be dropped down. from a vertical closed position to a substantially horizontal open position; and more especially where the door is relatively thick and when closed has its lower edge adjacent to a relatively wide door lamb formed on a'front panel of the range. And'it contemplates an improved door structure having means for shifting the swing center of the doorupwardly and outwardly as the door drops down to its open position where- 'by the door itself is bodily shifted in an upward and outward direction so that it clears the door lamb panel as it swings down. This avoids chafing, chipping and marring the door and panel finishes which usually are made of enamel.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an electric range provided with an oven equipped with door structure arranged in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation of a part of the range structure shown in Fig. 1, parts being removed so as to illustrate certain details of construction and the figure being Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a through the line 3-4 of Fig.2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and Figs. 5 and 6 are similar to Fig. 4 but illustrate in different operative positions.

Referring to the drawing, this invention has been shown as applied to an electric range comprising a cabinet having a top cooking surface i, and a lower base 2, side walls 3 and a front wall 4; it will be understood that the cabinet also will be provided with a rear wall which is not shown.

Mounted within the range under the cooking surface i at the right-hand half thereof, is an oven defined by a pair of opposed side walls I (the right-hand wall only being shown) and a bottom wall 0. It will be understood that the horizontal sectional view taken rectangular box-like form and is mounted withinis provided with a front.

the cabinet I. The oven opening I which is substantially in the plane of. the front wall 4, and which is closed by a door I; this door when in the closed position is substantially vertical, as shown.

The door 8 comprises inner panel ll spaced from the front panel, as shown. The two side edges of the front panel 0 are curved backwardly toward the rear panel as indicated by the numeral ii, while at its lower edge there is a substantially horizontal rearwardly extending flange I: which also goes back to the back panel. The rear panel i0 is provided with forwardly extending edge flanges i! (Fig. 3) and it is nested within the outer panel, as shown.

The front wall 4 ofthe cabinet defines a flat marginal area completely surrounding the door oven also will be provided with a top wall positioned parallel to the bottom wall 5 and will be provided with an end wall, the top and end walls not being shown. Il -other words. the oven is of opening I and the door is so arranged that when it is closed it masks or covers this marginal area.

Mounted below the door 8 is a panel structure It having a front wall it and a top wall it con-.- stituting a door lamb panel. The front wall I! is approximately in the plane of the front wall 9 of the door, while the top wall it is substantially horizontal and is in substantially parallel relation with the lower door flange I! when the door is closed, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Furthermore, it is very close to this lower door flange when the door is closed so that there is substantially flush front panel effect provided by the front panel I and front wall i5, as shown in Fig. 1. The panel structure it may be secured tothe cabinet structure in fixed relation with it, but in the embodiment .of the invention illustrated it constitutes the front wall of a drawer mounted in the cabinet below the oven and which is arranged to be slid outwardly and inwardly to open and closed positions.

The door is hinged to swing on a transverse axis positioned adjacent its lower edge so that it maybe lowered from its vertical closed position of Figs. 1 and 4 to a substantially horizontal open position shown in Fig. 6 Furthermore.. it is provided with counterbalance structure for balancing it as its axis. In general, the hinging'means and the counterbalance structure is arranged as described and claimed in the United States patent to G. L. Rees No. 2,313,582, dated March 9,1943. As there described, the hinging means comprises a pair of hinge brackets l1 one positioned at each front lower corner of the oven on the exterior thereof.

Here, it should be noted that the pinging and an outer panel 0 andan ment of the swing center oounterbalancing arrangement now to be described is duplicated at each lower corner Of the oven. Since they are identical only that at the lower right-hand corner has been shown and only that will be described.

Each hinge bracket -i'l is of L-shape having a lower horizontal leg ll positioned under the bottom wall I of the oven and secured thereto in any suitable manner as by screw-fastening means I. The vertical plate 2| of the brackets fits closely to the associated side wall I and is secured thereto by screw fastening means 2i. Each bracket is provided with a forwardly and downwardly extending projection lug 22 to which the door is hinged. Furthermore, the side plate 2| supports rollers 22 upon which a counterbalanee link 24 rolls. This link, at its forward end, is secured to the door by means of at its rear end is attached to a counterbalancing tension spring 20 which is anchored to a fixed part 21 of the cabinet structure. 'Ihe link is further provided on its lower edge with a protuberonce 28 for coacting with the roller 23 to yieldingly hold the door in its closed position and also in an open broil position, all as fully described in the aforementioned Rees patent.

Thus far, the hinging and counterbalancing means is arranged in accordance with this Rees patent.

However, the specific means for securing the door to the projection 22 is arranged in accordance with this invention,

is lowered, whereby the relatively thick lower flange i2 of the door will clear the lower panel the front plate I, all as shown in Fig. 6.

This hinging means comprises a hinge plate 28 which is fixed to the door so as to move with it; as shown, it is provided with a squar opening which receives a similarly shaped end portion of a hinge pin}. which is secured to the door whereby the plate 29 must move as the door swings. The plate 29 further is provided at its outer side with an outwardly projecting pin 3i which is arranged to move in a cam slot 32 provided for it in the hinge bracket projection 22. In addition, the hinge means comprises a link 33 which is ivoted at its upper end to a pin 34 fixed to the projection 22, and which at its lower end carries a pin 35 which is received in an aperture provided for it in the hinge plate 29. In other words, the link 33 functions to pivotally interconnect the door with the projection 22 of the hinge bracket.

The center of the pin I5 constitutes the swing center of the door. And the parts are so constructed and arranged that when the door is and as there shown, projecting pin Ii on the hinge plate lies at the lower end of the slot 32.

when the door is pulled outwardly at the top so as to lower it the projecting pin 3| rides upwardly in the slot 32 and the swing center 35 moves upsubstantially to its original position of Fig. i.- 75

a pin 25 and 20 eration takes place.

embodiment of All of this is accomplished by giving the slot 82 an arc shape. the arc curving upwardly and inwardly toward the oven, asshown. By reason of this arrangement when the door is swung down- 5 wardly from its vertical position it is as a had? shifted upwardly It, all as shown in Fig. 6.

When the door is swung closed the reverse op- That is, the swing center ll again moves upwardly and outwardly so that the door panel 8 and flange i2 clear the lower panel structure it, and thence it moves back inwardly and downwardly to its initial position of 25 Fig. 4.

This invention provides a simple door structure incorporated in a range wherein both the door d the adjacent sures a smooth movement ofthe door between open and closed positions.

While I have shown and described a particular my invention; it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without depart- 1. In a door structure having means defining 45 a door opening, a door for closing said opening,

away from the plane thereof as the-door is being moved to its open position and said hinge element moves with it as a it 2. A door structure for a cabinet having walls defining an opening therein, a relatively wide lamb panel adjacent one edge of said opening, a.

tially parallel relation with said jamb panel when the door is closed, and means for hinging said door to swing on an axis adjacent saidedge comprising, a fixed hinge support adjacent said edge, a coacting hinge element fixed to said door so as to move with it as a unitary structure, a link, pivotal connections between the ends of said link and said hinge support and hinge element, respectively, the pivotal connection between said link and said hinge element constituting the swing a door closing said opening provided relatively wide end panel, a

center of said door, and coacting cam elements on said hinge supportv and element, respectively, interacting to force said swing center from said edge in the direction of, said door opening and outwardly from the plane thereof as the door is opened and said hinge element moves with it as a unit so that said relatively wide edge of said door clears said lamb panel.

3. In a range provided with a cabinet and an oven within said cabinet having a front opening, with a front panel and a lower panel section on said cabinet below said door having a front panel and an upper edge panel located adjacent said lower end panel in substantially parallel relation with it when the door is closed and having a width substantially equal to the width thereof, and hinge means hinging said door to swing on a transverse axis adjacent its lower end comprising, a hinge support, means fixedly securing said support to said cabinet, a hinge element fixed to said door, a link pivoted at one end to said hinge support and at its vother end to said element, the pivotal connection between said link and hinge element constituting the swing center of said door, said hinge support having formed therein a cam slot and a pin on said hinge element sliding in said slot so that when said door is swung downwardly toward its open position said swing center is shifted upwardly and outwardly thereby to cause said lower end panel on said door to clear said upper edge panel of said panel section.

4. In a range provided with a cabinet and an oven within said cabinet having a front opening, a vertically positioned door closing said opening provided with a front panel and a lower relatively wide end panel, a panel section on said cabinet below said door having a front panel and an upper edge panel located adjacent said lower end panel in substantially parallel relation with it when the door is closed and having a width substantially equal to the width thereof, and hinge means hinging said door to swing on a transverse axis adjacent its lower end from its vertical closed position to a substantially horizontal open position comprising, a hinge support, means fixedly securing said support to said cabinet, a hinge element fixed to said door, a link pivoted at one end to said hinge support and at its other end to said element, the pivotal connection between said link and element constituting the swing center of said door, said hinge support having formed therein a cam slot and a pin on said hinge element sliding in said slot, said slot being curved upwardly and inwardly so as to cause said pinto follow such a path that when the door is lowered to its open position said swing center first moves upwardly and outwardly so as to cause said door lower end panel to return substantially to its said end panel when said door clear said upper on 2,313,582

edge panel of said panel section, and thence to return substantially to its initial position as the door reaches its fully open position, whereby said lower end panel is located above and in substantially right angular relation with said upper edge panel.

5. In a range provided with a cabinet and an the door is closed, a panel below said door having,

a front panel and a relatively wide substantially horizontal top panel positioned adj acent to and in substantially parallel relation with said door end panel when the door is closed, and hinge means hinging said door to swing on a transverse axis adjacent its lower end from its vertical closed position to a substantially horizontal open position comprising. a hinge support, means fixedly securing said support to said cabinet, said support having a projecting part extending forwardly from said front wall into the space back of said door front panel, a hinge element fixed to said door, a link pivoted at its upper end to said projecting part and at its lower and to said element, the pivotal connection between said link and element constituting the swing center of said door, said projecting part having formed therein a cam slot and a pin on said hinge element sliding in said slot, said slot being curved upwardly and inwardly so as to cause said pin to follow such a path that when the door is lowered to its open position said swing center first moves upwardly and outwardly so as to cause said lower door end panel to clear said top panel as it inclines as the door swings down, and thence to initial position so that is in its horizontal open position is adjacent to and substantially parallel with said front plate.

HARRY R. JOHNSON.

asrnaauons crran The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,621,500 Fitch -.Mar. 22, 192"! 1,963,388 Smith June 19, 1934 1,989,151 Pickup Jan. 29, 1935 2,129,750 Schneider Sept. 13, 1938 2,234,259 Kelly Mar. 11, 1941 Rees Mar. 9, 1943 door is closed and also 

